Whissendine Church of England Primary School

About Whissendine Church of England Primary School

Whissendine Church of England Primary School has a strong parent community, with 77% of respondents in the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That figure comes from 66 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, and it aligns with the school's popularity on the ground: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 30 applications for just 16 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.88. All 16 first-preference applicants were offered a place, so getting your child in as a first choice is realistic, but the waiting list pressure is real. Parents are particularly positive about happiness and safety — 96% agree or strongly agree that their child is happy, and 92% feel their child is safe. The school also scores well on communication, with 97% of parents saying they are made aware of what their child will learn. However, concerns handling is a weaker spot: only 53% agree or strongly agree that concerns are dealt with properly, and 26% disagree or strongly disagree.

Academically, Whissendine performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 86% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Rutland local authority average of 70%. That puts the school third out of 17 primary schools in the county, and in the top 5% nationally. The school's ranking score of 86 places it just behind Ketton and Empingham Church of England schools. Looking at individual subjects, reading is a particular strength: 95% of pupils met the expected standard and 41% reached the higher standard. Maths also shines, with an average scaled score of 108 and 27% of pupils hitting the higher threshold. Writing is slightly lower, with 86% at expected and 23% at higher. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025 judged overall effectiveness as 'not judged' because it was a section 8 inspection, but the graded areas were strong: early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all rated Outstanding, while quality of education and leadership and management were rated Good.

The school is a Church of England primary with 140 pupils on roll, well below its capacity of 210, so class sizes are small. Facilities include a sensory room, music rooms, playing fields, art studios, a sports hall, library, forest school and chapel. There is a good range of clubs — chess, coding, gardening, choir and art club — and sports include cricket, netball, gymnastics, cross country and athletics. The school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability and other difficulties. With a low percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at 6.4%, the school serves a relatively advantaged catchment. It suits families who value a strong academic record in a small, church-affiliated village school with a clear focus on personal development and behaviour, but who are comfortable navigating a competitive admissions process.

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